Constance "Connie" LeBaron

1922 - 2019

Constance "Connie" LeBaron
Apr. 5, 1922 - Aug. 25, 2019
Los Altos and Cupertino
Perhaps she was born with her competitive nature. After all, she won that initial race with her sister to be the first born of the twins. And perhaps her competitiveness was further honed by checkers games with her grandmother and chess matches with her father. Is it any wonder that she eventually came to run her own business that produced games of skill, coordination, strategy, and chance?
The Pearson twins began Twinson Company while in high school in Kansas City, Missouri, at Notre Dame de Sion (which presented Connie with the Outstanding Alumnus award in 2014). However, the business was put on hold when the twins attended to Marymount College in Los Angeles. After graduation in 1942, Connie joined the accounting department at Douglas Aircraft. She quickly made her mark there when she developed an innovative process in the payroll department. She then completed aerodynamics courses at UCLA and Cal Tech and went to work as a mathematician for the Preliminary Design Department. Following the war, her skills contributed to Douglas's guided missile program.
After the war, the Pearson twins were set up on a blind date with the LeBaron brothers. Romantic sparks flew that night, especially for David who said it was love at first sight. Their love was ever-growing during their 50 years together as they raised ten children, passionately rooted for their children's and Bay Area teams, travelled the world, and competed against each other at cards, tennis, and golf.
Connie revived Twinson Company in 1961 with educational games that emphasized rhythm and coordination. Eventually, her product line expanded to nearly 40 products including a dice game (Zilch) and a card game (Oh Hell) which was her personal favorite. Her inventiveness continued to the very end; she created yet another game during this last year.
She was preceded in death by her two brothers (Charles Rogers and John Pearson), her husband of 50 years David LeBaron, and her son Clyde, a recent loss last February. She is survived by her twin, Cathie McRoskey, her children Rogers (Nancy), Cathie, Connie (Tony Giannotti), Paul, Nancy, Mary (Allan Dancer), Joanne (Doug Morrisey), David Jr. (Carolyn), Tim (Carolyn), and her daughter-in-law Ivana, as well as 22 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will begin at 10:30 on Saturday, September 21, at St. William church in Los Altos. The family will again gather later this fall at Arlington Cemetery in Washington, D.C., where she will be laid to rest with her beloved husband.
Though small in stature, her spirit and energy were immense. She leaves us with a great example of a life fully lived. We will remember her as a loving spouse, a guiding parent and grandparent, and a loyal, dear friend. We will never forget her joy of competition, her never-ending creativity, and her ability to laugh at herself. In business, she was a passionate and tireless worker. And it was her spiritual faith that was her ever-guiding light. We will always cherish the wonderful memories of this amazing, inspirational, faith-filled woman.


View the online memorial for Constance "Connie" LeBaron